Battery-box mold



R. HOLZ BATTERY Box MOLD Filed April a0, 1923 Jan. 7-, 1930.

3 Sheets-Sheet ATTO/P/VfKS.

Jan. 7, 1930. R. HOLZ BATTERY BOX MOLD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30. 1923 Jan. 7, 1930.

R. HOLZ BATTERY BOX MOLD Filed April so. 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTOPA/AKS.

Patented Jan. 7. 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ol-rlcjs ROBERT HOLZ, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE RICHARDSON COMPANY, O1 LOCKLAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01? OHIO BATTERY-BOX MOLD Application filed April a0, 1923. Serial No. 635,548.

My invention relates to molding devices for the formation of one piece battery boxes, in

which partltions are formed with the box so I as to define cell spaces, into which to place packs of storage battery plates, said spaces serving as electrolytic cells.

My invention further relates more generally to the art of molding plastics, of the nature of fiber're-inforced asphalt, which sets quickly, and can be subjected to great pressure.

It is my object to provide for a male and female die, the male die to be progressive in its action for forming a box under high pres:

sure from plastic substances. In connection with the male die, the second portion thereof to come into action, also acts as a stripper plate to remove the box after the molding operation is completed.

It is my object to provide for'lubrication of a die of the character noted, and also for a die which has a carria e for transporting it from one place to another.

It is my object to produce a die for making battery boxes, and to make other objects of like character, from a quick setting material, by stages of first filling the female die, then converting the die into a carriage and moving it along, then bringing the male parts into operative position, then fully compressing the male parts, then locking the mold parts together and converting the die into a carriage again, and moving it"back to the filling point, where the mold is unlocked and the formed box is stripped away and a new filling inserted into the female mold.

In this connection, I have provided for ease of manipulation of the male parts, for locking the male parts in compressed position, and for various contingencies met with in the production of articles of the character noted.

These various objects and other advantages to be noted, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts to be here- Figure 4 is a detail of the carrier wheel axle.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the stri per plate, same being also a part of the ma e die.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the stripper plate.

Figure 7 is another side elevation of the stripper plate, taken at right angles to Figure 6.

Figure 8 is aside elevation of the male die or punch.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 10 is a detail vertical section showing the finger hole plungers.

Figure 11 is a detail elevation showing the method of inserting the wire.

Figure 12 is a perspective of the completed Figure 13 is a perspective of the metal reinforcements.

Referring to the structure of the drawings,

which it will be understood is intended as illustrative only, of the invention, which I propose to set forth in the claims, 1 is the female die, same being shown as made up of plates bolted together by bolts 2. The bottom 3 of the die is a separate piece, to serve as an auxiliary ejecting device. The opening 4 in the female die defines the outside walls of the box.

The male die is shown as adopted for a three cell container, and has the head 5, formed with a dovetail groove 6 running across it. A press plunger having a T-shaped head is intended to engage in the groove, the

male die head laterally over the T-shaped plunger head.

Extending downwardly from the male die head are a series (in this instance) of three plungers 7, each of which is of the size of the desired electrolytic cell, and each of which has at its lower end a series of grooves 8,

engagement being obtained by sliding the i which define the bridge upon which a pack of plates will rest, when the battery is com plete.

Extending up through the several plungers are rods 9, having heads 10, which seat normally in countersinks in the base of the plungers. The upper ends of these rods have heads or nuts 11, and extend into spring chambers 12, in the head of the male die, at the dovetail groove portion thereof. Small springs 13 are set around the rods in these chambers and bear on the heads 11 of the rods so as to force the heads 10 thereof into the eountersinks of the plungers. When the plungers are withdrawn in stripping away a completed box, the vacuum tending to hold the box on the plungers is broken, by the pulling down of the rods, by the suction set up, which permits air to escape into the mold, from the head of the male die, down through the holes in which the rods slide, and into the vacuum space left by withdrawal of the plungers. The heads 10 of the plungers are knurled so as to stick to the molded article, for an evident purose.

The head of the male die has four holes 14 therein, which slide upon bolts or posts on the stripper plate. The press plungers, as has been noted, engage this-male die head in its operations, and as will be noted the head when it strikes the stripper plate, moves said plate along with it into the female mold.

The stripper plate is formed of a block of metal, having a head 15, in which are set the four posts or bolts 16, on which the male die slides. The center of this head 15 is formed with three openings 17, 17, 17 through which the three plungers slide, and the body of the plate is extended down in webs 18, between the three openings, and in, webs 19, at the long sides, and 20 at the shorter sides or ends of the said opening. These webs 18, 19 and 20,-act as parts of the male die, and press evenly the top edges of all partitions and walls formed on the box.

The end webs of the stripper plate are formed with cavities 21 in the sides thereof, which form the handles of the box, said handles projecting above the edges in the completed article.

In the head of the stripper plate are .formed the lubrication passages 22, extending in diverging paths to the side walls defining the openings 17. Any desired form of compression cup, containing a lubricant, such as soap, is set into the common sockets 23, for the two sets of passages, and in this way, lubricant is provided for the plungers of the male die, as the pass down through the openings 17, into t e male die.

On the head of the male die, I preferably suspend at two sides, a loop or U-shaped piece 24, which when the male die is fully down into the female die, will come beyond the holes 25 in the sides of the female die. Pins 26- thrust into the holes at this point in the operation will hold the male die in its compression position, until the article has fully set.

Mounted at the sides of the female mold are two pairs of bars 27, which are held in place by bolts 28, 29, on the sides of said mold. These bars mount two axles 30, (Fig. 4), which have eccentric ends 31 on which are mounted the carrier rollers 32. Set fast on these aXles are cranks, of which there need be but two, which cranks extend up along the mold, and are connected together by a rigid link 33, pivoted to each arm. By thrust over on the link inv one direction, the eccentrics for the axle are so arranged that the four rollers or wheels will be thrust downwardly and when thrust in the other direction, the rollers will be raised.

The female mold can thus ride on a track, by means of the rollers, and thus be readily moved from place to place.

To form the handles of the box, it is necessary to have finger holes, and preferable to insert some sort of wire reinforcement. In doing this one method I have illustrated is to form a cavity in the two ends of the female mold at its portion above what will be the ultimate top edge of the box. In these holes are set a pair of plates 40, held in place by'means of small screws 41, which are relatively, weak. The small plungers 42, which form the finger holes, are set into bored holes 43, which fit the piston portions 44 of these plungers. Screws 44 are set into these piston portions, said screws having grooved heads 45, which are held against any but rotary movement by means of the orifices in the plates 40. y turning the heads of the screws the plungers are forced in or withdrawn. The withdrawal is necessary in removing the box from the mold, as will be described.

The wire re-inforcement is preferably held fixedly against deflection in a pair of small holes 50, which are drilled in that portion of the stripper plate end webs which overhang the handle forming cavities there in. The wires or rods are formed with T heads 51, a central depending portion 52. and two turned up ends 53 on the heads of the T portions. These ends are thrust into the holes 50, in the stripper plate ends prior to the commencement of an operation.

Referring to the operation of the mold, the female mold is filled with a measured quantity of material. The press plunger (not shown), ca rrying the head of the male part is then lowered, permitting the stripper plate to rest loosely on the top of the female mold, and forcing the plungers down into the material. The material will flow up partially, around the plungers, and the first press is then released from the male die head, and the whole device supported by its rollers which are then thrust down, is moved beneath the head of-a high pressure press. The head of this press comes down against the head of the male die, forcing it and the stripper plate together, down into the female mold, thereby creating a high pressure on the material therein.

The lower edges of the webs on the stripper plate will press the top edges of the box and partitions, and the male plungers will press the material so as to form cells and integral outer walls. The handles will be formed by material flowing up into the cavities in the sides of the stripper plate webs, and the metal re-inforcement will be thrust down into the material between the two holes in the handles. The two holes will be formed by the small plungers, that lie with their inner faces against the cavities in the stripper plate.

I11 case of excessive strain due to over filling or the like, the small plungers, being held by relatively weak bolts, will be forced out, saving the-female mold from splitting.

As soon as the extra pressure is applied in the second press the loops on the male die are locked down with pins, and the entire structure is transported on its wheels, which are again lowered to the first press. In this press the press plunger head is engaged with the male die head, and same is then pulled up, carrying with it the stripper plate, and

- the box. The posts on the stripper plate then strike a knock off, or stop, which prevents further movement of the plate with the male die, so that the continued movement of the press plunger Will draw the male plunger out of the formed up box, whereupon it can be lifted away. If the formed box does not rise with the male die parts, the bottom plate of the female die is raised also, thereby forcing out the box.

An operator will then trim off the feather edges if any, and nip off with shears the projecting ends of the metal re-inforcing wires or rods, and the box is complete.

The mold being freed from material, a new charge is then placed in the female die, and the process repeated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mold for the purpose described, which comprises a female part, and male part, and a stripper plate carried with said male part, said stripper plate having orifices therein through which the male part slides, and lubricant passages in the stripper plate extending to the bearing surfaces of the male part on the stripper plate.

2. A mold for the purpose described, which comprises a female part, and a male part, said male part being formed of a series of plungers interspaced from each other, and a. stripper plate carried with said male part having openings through which said plungers slide, a lubricant hole in the stripper plate into which lubricant is forced, and passages extending from said hole to the surfaces of the stripper plate which bear on the various u plungers, for the purpose described.

3. A mold for battery boxes or the like, comprising a female part, and a male part, said male part having plunger defining cell spaces within the mold, and means slidably guiding the plungers and defining the top edges of the walls of the box, said means being cut away to permit a portion of the material being molded to rise above the edge defining portions thereof, so as to form a handle integral with the box.

4. A mold for battery boxes or the like, comprising a female part, and a male part, said male part having plungers defining cell spaces within the-mold, and means slidably guiding the plungers and defining the top edges of the walls of the box, said means being cut away to permit a portion of the material being molded to rise above the edge defining portion thereof, so as to form a handle integral with the box, and movable means adapted to be projected from the sides of the female mold into the cavity left by said cut away parts, to provide finger holes in the handles.

5. A. mold for battery boxes or the like,

comprising a female part, and a male part, said male part having plungers defining cell spaces within the mold, and means slidably guiding the plungers and defining the top edges of the walls of the box, said means being cut away to permit a portion of the material being molded to rise above the edge defining portions thereof, so as to form a handle integral with the box, and means for guiding a metal re-inforcing piece to pro ect downwardly through said cut away portion or cavity with its upper portion lying at the upper edge of the said cavity.

6. A mold for battery boxes or the like comprising a female part, and a male part, having interspaced plungers, a stripper plate movable with relation to the male part and having depending webs to define the spaces around said plungers, andhence to define the top edges of the box formed in the female mold, said web portion having a cavity formed therein lying above the lower edge of said web portion, thereby providing for a handle projecting upwardly from the top edges of the box, and a metal re-inforcement applying device comprisingmeans in the said web portion for retaining a metal piece so that same lies within the said cavity and projects downwardly within the space left between the plungers and the female mold below said web portions.

7. A mold device including a female part,

and a male part, said male part being independent of the element which operates it so as to travel along with the female part through several steps of operation, and means for locking the male part in its compression position in the female part, and rollers upon the female part same having mounting means adapted to project them'below or Withdraw them above the lower level of the female 'part.

ROBERT HOLZ. 

